


Overture

by akajulester15



Series: A Nocturnal Medley [1]
Category: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Genre: Drama, Eventual Romance, F/M, Friendship, Humor, Love Triangle, Platonic Female/Male Relationships, Romance, Sarcasm, Slice of Life, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-04
Updated: 2019-06-24
Packaged: 2019-07-06 23:43:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 15,054
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15896541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/akajulester15/pseuds/akajulester15
Summary: Nocturne lives a normal life. Well, except for living in a palace. And being of royal lineage. And being an alicorn. And being the bastard daughter of Princess Luna.Maybe not so normal after all…One day, she decides to try the experience of “normal” ponies, and live among the commoners for a summer. Without a disguise. Those accompanying and chaperoning her are: Brave Strike, a cute soldier with a tragic background; Cheerful Shimmer, his cheery (what else?) older cousin and customary "Team Mom"; and Amber, a common-born lady-in-waiting with a mile-wide sarcastic streak.Surely nothing could go wrong!





	1. Prologue

"You're WHAT?!"

The unicorn mare flinched at the loudness of the princess' voice. True, it was nothing compared to the _Royal Canterlot Voice_ , but it was uncomfortably loud.

"Yes, Your Highness. It may be difficult to take in at first, but I really am pregnant." Once she said it, the fact seemed almost normal, despite the absurdity of it. She probably would have let out a nervous giggle, if not for the fact that the other pony present was very agitated.

"But...! But I thought we used protection! This could be bad! This could be REALLY bad!!"

The princess began to pace back and forth, annoying the mare. Sure, this was serious, but she did not think that the situation merited such a reaction. Besides, it was not as if they could just rid themselves of the foal.

"Your Highness, may I suggest something?" The princess turned her head towards the mare irritably. "Perhaps we could simply... use a contraceptive?"

The princess glared at the mare, who suddenly regretted her words. "I swear to you - with the Maker Above as my witness - if you abort our child I shall be most displeased, Arpeggio."

Arpeggio gulped. "O-of course."

The two were silent for a moment.

The princess was the one to break the silence. "Forgive me for saying this, but I do not think you can work for me any longer."

"You're firing me?" Though it was expected, the statement hit her harder than she had thought it would. "B-but, I lo-"

"That is _precisely_ why you must go." The princess sighed, and gave Arpeggio a rather pointed look. "Do not think I was blind to how you've felt about me. And what we did that night was a mistake." She paused, and blushed as she said, "It... it did not help that I was... _influenced_ by both drink and heat..."

She coughed awkwardly, desperate to change the subject. "R-regardless, it will be a breeze to find you another job with some important pony here in Canterlot. You are a top-notch secretary, and a royal recommendation will surely help persuade the more judgemental ones."

"Are you quite sure that I may no longer work for you?" Arpeggio asked, close to tears. "I could put away my feelings for you!"

The princess shook her head. "Even if you could do that, you are still carrying my child, and are currently not involved with anypony. With all the time that you spend around me, ponies would get suspicious, especially if they had already guessed you fell in love with me. It would not do well for rumors of this nature about royalty to spread, and it surely would not do you any favors..."

Arpeggio was fortunately able to keep back the few tears that had started to form. "I... I underst-stand, Your Highness."

The princess smiled sadly. "I thought I told you to call me 'Luna' in private."


	2. A New Beginning

“Nocturne, it is time to get up.”

Nocturne sat up in bed, stifling a yawn. She sleepily looked at her mother. She instantly became fully awake once she noticed the stern look on her face. It appeared that mother would _not_ be tolerating any backtalk today. Nocturne nodded dutifully.

“Get ready for your morning lesson.”

“Yes, mommy.”

The filly quickly leapt out of bed as soon as her mother left the room. She reached out with her magic, picking up the hairbrush on the nightstand. She sat in front of her little cracked mirror, gazing at her reflection as she tidied up her mane and tail. An alicorn filly with a light brown coat stared back at Nocturne, brushing her navy blue hair. Nocturne frowned in concentration as she tried to coax the turquoise streak out of its hiding spot, grinning in triumph when she succeeded. She played with her forelock for a bit, looking for the perfect way to cover her left eye. Once satisfied, she put away the brush and went into the kitchen to have some cereal for breakfast. She went straight to the living room when she finished her meal.

Her mother was waiting for her by the music stand, holding out Nocturne’s violin. She fixed her with an icy glare.

“For _gods’_ sake, Nocturne, what have I told you about that ridiculous manestyle?! Go back to your room _now_ and fix it!”

Nocturne gulped, her ears flattening against her head. Knowing better than to argue, she reluctantly returned to her room. She got out the brush again, along with a hair tie. She lifted up her forelock with her magic, scowling at her reflection. She never liked looking at her left eye. It was a bright blue, different from her right green eye. She also hated the muddy brown patch around it. There was a similar muddy brown spot on her blank flanks. Her mother had once told her that it was perfectly normal for ponies to be born with patches and spots on their coat, but she had always thought it made her look _ugly_. This belief was only worsened by the fact that her mother did not have any spots on her coat at all. She then looked at the wings on her back. She hated them too. They were what kept her from leaving the house and going to a normal school, and they meant that she was not a normal unicorn, like her mother.

She sometimes wondered if her mother did not love her because she did not look like her. When her mother was in one of her bad moods, Nocturne sometimes noticed her looking at her with a… well, she was not _quite_ sure what kind of look it was, but it seemed like a mix of angry and sad. Sometimes, late at night, she would see her mother crying to herself in the kitchen. During those times, it was usual to see the kitchen littered with funny smelling bottles that made Nocturne’s head start to spin if she sniffed them too much.

The wings and spots _did_ make her look like Princess Luna, her _other_ mother – or “sire,” as her mother called her, though Nocturne had no clue what that meant – though this was a small comfort to the young filly. She did not even see the princess that often. Around once every other month, her mother would secretly bring them to the castle to visit the princess. She was much kinder and calmer than her mother, though she seemed more… distant and awkward than her. Nocturne wondered if maybe _she_ also did not love her either, since she visited with her so rarely, though she had no inkling as to why this would be the case.

“NOCTURNE! What is taking you so long?”

Nocturne jumped from the scare. She quickly finished her mane and rushed back to the living room. Her mother’s already annoyed face turned angrier when she arrived.

“Ugh, look at you! Can’t even do your mane properly…” She picked her up with her magic, setting her down in front of her. She yanked out the hair tie, snagging a knot in the process. Nocturne cried out from the quick sting of pain, but her mother seemed to not particularly care. She put the messy hair into a more proper ponytail, then stood up and brought out Nocturne’s violin.

“Start your warm-ups.”

Nocturne took the violin with her magic, and began her morning lesson.

 

* * *

 

As Nocturne’s stomach began to hurt from hunger, she wondered what was taking her mother so long at work. She was some sort of music teacher at some sort of school in town, and often had to work late, but was always home in time to make dinner. Nocturne sighed and put her head on the table. If only she knew how to operate a microwave: then, she would be able to heat up last night’s dinner (spaghetti), and make her mother proud when she got home! Sadly, the mysterious powers of a microwave’s ability to heat up cold food remained an enigma to the filly.

To ease the hunger for the time being, she decided to sneak a bag of potato chips. Her mother would be upset when she found out, but that was a problem for another time. She opened the bag eagerly, reveling in the small act of rebellion.

She was on her fifth or sixth chip when she heard the door open. Panicking, she tried to hide the chips behind her back, accidentally spilling them all over the kitchen floor in her rush. She braced herself for the imminent yelling, closing her eyes.

“Nocturne.”

She quickly opened her eyes, surprised by the lukewarm reaction. She looked at her mother, who was leaning on the wall, her head turned away. From what part of her face Nocturne could see, there appeared to be a pained look on her face.

“Nocturne, we’re going to visit L- the _princess_ tonight…”

Nocturne was shocked, to say the least. They had last seen the princess only a week ago.

“Why, mo-”

“ _Just come here_ ,” her mother cut off, through clenched teeth. Nocturne meekly went to her side, and was hit with a wave of the funny bottle smell coming from her mother. She subconsciously edged away from the smell, but her mother suddenly pulled her to her side, the smell becoming stronger, making Nocturne start to feel a bit dizzy. She felt hot tears hit her back.

Her mother relaxed her grip on her, and then pulled out the card from the princess. From what she understood about it, it would tell the princess that they wanted to visit her right away when it was touched with magic. They waited for a while – which felt forever to her – then were engulfed with a soft, pale blue light.

The next thing she knew, they were in a richly decorated room. Princess Luna was standing nearby, looking very nervous and agitated.

“Arpeggio, what happened? Was Nocturne attacked? Why _now_? If somepony walks in on us…” She sounded like she was trying _very_ hard not to raise her voice.

Arpeggio opened her mouth to speak, then glanced at Nocturne, still standing at her side. “I need to tell you something – in private.”

 

* * *

 

"Luna, I _can't_ do it anymore!"

"Arpeggio, calm down. And lower your voice; Nocturne might hear you..."

"..."

"Arpeggio?"

"Luna..."

"Yes?"

"I was never cut out for something like this. I _told_ you that we should have just gotten rid-" Arpeggio stopped, noticing the cold fury on Luna’s face.

" _Calm down_."

"I am, I am.” She breathed heavily, trying to keep her composure. “... Could you _please_ take her in? I can't care for two ponies anymore. I doubt I could get another job, even with your help. That secretary job you got me after-" She cut herself off, awkwardly clearing her throat. “After we decided I would no longer work for you, the next job didn’t last long, even with a ‘royal recommendation.’ And forget about anypony else helping me! Nopony has ever taken pity on me enough to _ever_ think of that!” She began to hiccup, and wiped her eyes.

Luna simply looked at her, close to depressed over the mare’s begging. "How old is she right now?"

"She's…” Arpeggio froze. “She’s… five? O-or six.”

Luna gazed sadly at the broken mare. “I believe she is almost seven, Arpeggio…”

Arpeggio said nothing, though the look of shame and embarrassment were enough of a response.

Luna sighed, and put a hoof to her face. “You do realize how badly this will affect her, right? Even if told you are unfit to be her mother, all Nocturne will understand is that you are _abandoning_ her.” Arpeggio flinched at the venom in her words. Luna closed her eyes, tired of the hopeless charade. “Alright. I’ll take her in.”

Arpeggio immediately perked up. “Thank you.”

By this point, Luna was no longer able to hide her disgust. “Do you love her at all? Does your daughter mean anything at all to you?” Arpeggio blanched. “Will you even tell her yourself what is to happen?” She opened her mouth to retort, but said nothing, only giving a curt shake of the head. Luna let out a heavy breath. “So be it, then. Get out of my sight.”

As Luna left the room, it took every bit of dignity and self-control she had to _not_ slam the door and punch a hole into the wall. She forced herself to take deep breaths, trying her hardest to calm herself down. She needed to be gentle when she told her daughter. She put a soft smile on her muzzle, and went to the room where Nocturne was reading a book.

“Nocturne, there’s some exciting news. You’ll be living here, in the castle, for now…”

As she explained matters as simply as she could, she felt her heart breaking as the filly nearly collapse into her arms, sobbing all the while.


	3. A Growing Filly

Nocturne was ten years old, and she supposed she was having a good day. She hummed a cheery tune as she walked down the hallway.

Life had been amazing ever since she had moved in with her _real_ family. The castle was so huge, in stark contrast to the tiny apartment she had used to call “home.” She saw so many ponies, sometimes even fantastical non-pony species, every single day, who all seemed so nice. Most of all, she felt truly happy and loved for the first time in her short life.

The first truly amazing thing that had happened had been when she had gotten her cutie mark. When she was eight, she had been sitting next to Luna early in the morning, watching her work. Luna had looked very unhappy, so Nocturne had decided to see if singing would help her be happier. She had not sung any song in particular, just a childish improvisation. After a while, Luna had visibly begun to relax, even yawning. Soon after, there had been a flash of white on Nocturne’s flank. When they looked, a black quarter note over a silver moon was emblazoned over the brown spot there. Her aunt had later informed her that it seemed like her special talent was calming ponies down with her singing. As she grew older, they discovered that she could also cause different emotions, as well as occasionally making ponies around randomly burst into crowd songs (something which seemed awesome at first, but quickly and increasingly became irritating).

 _I wonder what will be for dinner tonight?_ She hoped there would be mac n’ cheese. While that would sound like a strange meal for a royal family, “common” types of food had been a regular at Canterlot Castle since Princess Cadence’s childhood there. Of course, that never stopped the chefs from occasionally insisting on making feasts fit for a Princess (or two or three). And it was not even dinner for her, anyway. After she had moved into the castle, Nocturne had adopted some of Luna's nocturnal nature; she usually woke up late in the day, around one o'clock in the afternoon, then went back to bed at around three o'clock in the morning.

Nocturne soon reached the end of the hallway, where two pegasus guards stood at attention next to a door.

“Good evening, my lady,” said one of them.

“Good evening, Sir Dawn Blade, Sir Sky Strike!”

The guards opened the door for her, then stood aside. She had used to wonder why all of the guards looked the same – white or gray coat with a blue or silver mane. She had been rather let down when her mother had explained to her that all of the guards’ armor had a minor glamour enchantment that did it. What a boring, reasonable answer! Sadly, life in the castle was often filled with such disappointing explanations for things and/or ponies that _clearly_ should have more exciting ones.

Nocturne entered the dining room. As usual, her aunt, Celestia, was already seated at the round table, reading a book. She caught a glimpse of Nocturne out of the corner of her eye, and put her book down with a smile.

“Good evening, dear. How was your afternoon?”

“It was good! My vocal, violin, and piano lessons were alright, but my self-defense one was _awesome_!!”

Celestia laughed. Ever since Nocturne had met the Captain of her Musical Guard, Nebula, she had become infatuated with knighthood, swords, and the like. She had begged her guards (particularly Nebula) to teach her their ways until they had relented. Luna had been worried at first, though eventually admitted that it _would_ be useful for Nocturne to start gaining skills to help protect herself. Sure, it was the guards’ jobs to protect her, but it would not be worthless, at least. As for Celestia, she was sure that the filly would outgrow this phase in time; her version of a “princess phase.”

“How was your day, Auntie?”

The two chatted for a short while, until Luna arrived. She yawned as she entered, clearly having just woken up.

“Mother!” Nocturne trotted over to Luna and gave her a big hug.

“’Morning, lovebug.”

Nocturne giggled. “ _Mo_ ther~! It’s six o’clock!”

“I know, I know. It’s morning for me, though!”

The two took their places at the table, and chattered with Celestia until the supper was brought out. Nocturne noted, to her delight, that the meal was a gourmet mac n’ cheese.

 

* * *

 

Nocturne was thirteen years old, and her day was going well.

Well, to be more accurate: she _would_ be having a good day, had it not been for her sudden bout of crippling anxiety.

“Don’t worry, dear, you will do fine.”

Nocturne started, having not noticed Celestia entering. She smiled warmly at her niece, and put a comforting hoof on her shoulder. Nocturne smiled back, although hers was much more nervous.

“Thank you, Auntie.” Nocturne inhaled deeply, letting the breath out in a shaky sigh. “I still do not understand why _I_ have to come with you and Mother.”

Celestia laughed. “We’ve been through this before. You’ve had virtually no public appearances since you came to live with us. It is important for a princess to get such experience while she is still young.”

“I know, I know!” Nocturne made a show of rolling her eyes. “And I’m not even a princess, Auntie. I’m just a duchess.”

“Yes, yes, I am well aware, _Duchess_ Nocturne.”

In Equestria, only the ruler of the land and the heir apparent were referred to as Princess or Prince. Nocturne assumed that this was due to Celestia’s and Luna’s desire to not deal with the headache of what title to use when talking to a distant, removed relative or descendant. She herself was still rather confused about what she would be called had it not been for the law – Princess? Duchess? Lady? She thanked the gods above for little blessings.

Luna then entered the room, carrying a gilded torc in her magical grasp. She levitated it over to Nocturne with a knowing look. “I found this in your room.”

Nocturne took the torc, feeling rather sheepish. “I though I’d forgotten something…” She hastily tried to put it around her neck, fumbling all the while.

“Honestly, Nocturne, you really mustn’t forget something so important. And especially for an occasion as important as this.”

“Oh, give her a break, Luna,” Celestia admonished. She took pity on the struggling filly, and helped her to put on the torc properly. “Considering the circumstances, it’s rather understandable.”

Luna sighed. “Regardless, I suppose we are ready to depart, now?”

The three alicorns left the castle with a few guards, and set off for the Equestrian Military Academy. Celestia and Luna were always asked to visit the institution once a year, in order to inspect the work they were doing, as well as to boost morale and motivation, and to occasionally scout out potential future cadets for the Royal Guard.

The dean of the EMA, Brigadier General North Star, was waiting at the entrance gate, along with a unicorn who Nocturne assumed was his assistant. They greeted the ensemble, and led them on tour of the facilities. At one point, the group came to a large training ground where an instructor was drilling five young ponies.

“We’re particularly proud of these cadets,” North Star began. “They’re some of the few who started training when they were just foals, at our Junior Training Facility.”

“How old are they?” Luna asked.

He paused to think for a moment. “I believe that they are all sixteen. They just started their formal education here earlier this year.” He then turned to the instructor. “Sergeant, mind introducing them to the Princesses?”

Nocturne nearly opened her mouth to correct him, then concluded that her mother would prefer that she not.

The sergeant introduced the five cadets – Arctic Breeze (male pegasus, light blue coat, blue and light gray hair, a whole mess of pimples), Brave Strike (male pegasus, light gray coat, brown hair, tall and lean), Gust Kicker (female Earth pony, light gold coat, black and yellow hair, freckles all over her body), Ribbon Dancer (female unicorn, pink coat, red-pink mane, surprisingly stocky build for a mare), and Snowfall (male unicorn, mint coat, white hair, scary eyes) – who all showed varying signs of nervous reactions to being in the presence of the Princesses (and a Duchess). Nocturne supposed she could not blame them, as she was feeling rather the same – though, now, for completely different reasons. _Why do military stallions have to look so good?_

Celestia noticed the sappy look developing on her niece’s face and leaned down. “What do you think, Nocturne?” she whispered in a conspiratorial manner.

Nocturne felt her face grow hot and flushed. “ _Auntie,”_ she hissed back furiously. Luna merely closed her eyes briefly to show her discontent with their behavior.

 

* * *

 

Nocturne was fifteen, and she was having an alright day.

She felt the air rush out of her lungs with a burst as a quick jab connected with her stomach. Although there was not so much pain, the sheer surprise of the blow nearly made her collapse, gasping for breath.

“You’ll have to dodge better than that, _hime_.”

Nocturne glanced up at her attacker – and instructor. A huge, muscled, lilac bat-pony looked back at her with a wry grin, his violet mane pulled back into a ponytail. Nebula idly stretched out his remaining, webbed wing, and scratched his stubbly beard. He slowly rolled his forelegs, popping his shoulder blades. He had initially been rather uneasy about their training sessions when Nocturne had started as a young filly, but had caved in upon seeing both her passionate interest in fighting, as well as her disappointment when she thought he would not do it.

Nocturne quickly regained her composure, readying herself for the spar to continue.

After her combat training had ended, Nocturne returned to her rooms in order to relax. Despite the bruises on her body and her slightly disheveled appearance, a gleeful smile played across her face. Soap Suds, her personal maid, was waiting for her, the tea set already on the table. She was a rather petite mare, with a soft gray coat brushed to a shine, her red-and-white mane pulled back into a bun, and shining yellow eyes with typical bat-pony pupils. Her curved horn began to glow with light blue magic as she picked up the teapot and filled a cup. As Nocturne sat down, Suds clicked her tongue in disapproval.

“Honestly, my lady, Nebula is too rough with you during your training.”

Nocturne laughed. “Well, it is not as if ponies who would _actually_ want to hurt me would be so lenient. He says, ‘Better to get a bruise or scrape now, than a mortal wound later.’” Suds merely shook her head, wordlessly conceding on the matter. She had never approved of her husband essentially beating up (in her opinion) a filly and member of royalty. Nocturne daintily sipped from her cup, sighing with contentment. “As always, a lovely cup of tea.” She looked over the little sandwiches, then back at her maid. “Care to join me?”

Suds, having gone through this before, knew better than to worm her way out of the request. She sat down opposite to Nocturne, and poured herself a cup of tea.

While asking a servant to dine with her was something Nocturne occasionally did (Aunt Celestia had taught her that it was an excellent way to strengthen master-servant relations), she always invited Suds whenever it was just the two of them. Suds was like a second mother to her, as she had been the one to take care of a young Nocturne whenever Luna was unavailable. She still viewed her as one, often going to her with any troubles.

The two chatted for a while, enjoying their tea. Once done, Nocturne helped Suds to tidy up, and left for her music lessons. When she left her room, Fire Spark, one of her guards, followed after her. She had a bright – almost painfully bright – yellow coat, and a windswept orange mane and tail with red streaks. Her intimidating build was not just for show; Nocturne suspected that she could easily snap a tree branch. Upon seeing the bruises, she sympathetically sucked in breath through clenched teeth.

“Geez, Captain Nebula did _not_ go easy on you earlier, huh?”

Nocturne rolled her eyes. “They aren’t even that bad, you and Suds are worrying over nothing!”

 

* * *

 

Nocturne was seventeen years old, and her day had, so far, been great.

An ambassador of the changelings had arrived that day, causing an unsurprising uproar from most of Equestria’s nobility. Apparently, Queen Chrysalis had decided that entering into a treaty with Equestria and forging an alliance was much more preferable than remaining enemies. Nocturne could not see why she had not realized this earlier; if her people relied on good emotions for food, what use was there in trying to overthrow a kingdom and spreading fear and hate? Regardless, it seemed that ponies would export their positive emotions to the Changelings ( _how_ exactly, Nocturne still did not fully understand, but it seemed as though skilled confectioners were able to somehow infuse sweets with love and happiness. She supposed that the sugar was the biggest help, though) and help them if they were attacked. In return, the Changelings would, rather obviously, _not_ attack the ponies ever again, aid Equestria against any future adversaries (their species was rather hardy, after all), and would offer their services in Equestria’s industrial services, particularly construction (again, hardy species).

Celestia and Luna, who had been hoping for an end to the constant tension, gladly agreed to consider their offer. When Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armor had heard, however, they had not been pleased. Nocturne suspected that they would never fully trust Chrysalis and her kind for a long time.

Additionally, King Neptune of the seaponies had sent a letter informing the Princesses of his intent to pay a visit to Equestria. According to Celestia, he had not done so in the past two centuries, astounding Nocturne. Celestia was not quite sure why he was coming (“Just like his father before him: even more cryptic than you, dear sister,” Luna had groused), but she confessed she suspected he would try to propose marriage to her again. Her tone had been even and carefully neutral, leaving Nocturne unsure as to whether this pleased or irritated her aunt – though she had a sneaking suspicion that her mother would be rather insulted if he did not extend the offer to her). Even without a concrete reason, she had a feeling that the visit would be eventful anyway, seeing as how the king certainly did not visit regularly.

To be sure, it had been an interesting day.

Nevertheless, nothing could top something of utmost importance to Nocturne at that time. She just could not wait until December 21st, her birthday, which was only six months away. When she turned eighteen, she would finally be an adult! She hoped that her mother would _finally_ allow her to venture outside of the castle without being accompanied by either her or Celestia. Her aunt had tried to convince Luna that Nocturne would be completely fine, as long as she had her guards, but she had been adamant. Nocturne found this rather surprising – back before Luna’s imprisonment, Equestrians tended to raise their foals in a more “free-range” style, so she had assumed her mother would treat her the same. It seemed Luna had been turned by the parents of the modern age, partly due to finally having a child of her own.

In any case, from the crazy events about to happen around her, as well as her last year as a “child,” Nocturne got the feeling that the year would be one to remember.


	4. Eighteen

On the frigid morning of December 21st, 1029 CE (“Celestial Era”), snow was falling in a seemingly endless onslaught. Many citizens of Canterlot were cursing the blizzard that had descended upon the city. Most stayed at home, huddled close to a roaring fire, sipping at a fresh cup of tea, or eating a nice, warm bowl of soup. A few, both determined and unreasonable, had attempted to make their ways to work. As they fought futilely against the penetrating gusts of wind, they all mentally kicked themselves when they found out their various businesses, shops, etc. had not opened due to the weather. The whole of Canterlot, it seemed, had closed shop for the day.

The entire city was quiet, with the exception of the castle.

A mere blizzard did not halt affairs of state, after all; if anything, it heightened them. Aside from the regular running of the country, there were also now the worries of tidying up when the clouds eventually disappeared, as well as making sure anypony who had lost power got it back; assuring the nobility that no, this was not a political stunt, under any circumstances; handing out blankets and food to the needy; and so on and so forth.

However, these troubles could wait for a day. Princesses Celestia and Luna had more personal thoughts on their minds.

 

* * *

 

“Wake up, my lady. Your meal is ready.”

Nocturne sat up groggily, her mane so messy and tussled that it covered her eyes. She brushed it aside. She stretched her legs out, yawning, and got out of bed. She walked into her sitting room, where Soap Suds had set out her breakfast. She was about to sit down when –

“ _My lady_ , you should really brush your hair.” Suds’s smile did not match her tone of voice.

Nocturne immediately retreated to her bedroom. One stern glance from Suds was enough instruction for her. As she carefully brushed out her long mane, she watched the blizzard outside. The snow was so high, she could scarcely catch a glimpse of the gardens below her window. She turned away to look at her reflection her vanity’s mirror. As per usual, she arranged her forelock so as to cover her left eye.

Her second attempt to sit down for breakfast went much smoother. She beamed at the spread before her – fresh, hot Belgian waffles dripping with maple syrup; French toast with a little slab of butter on top, cut to look like a rose; eggs, over-easy; a tall glass of pulp-less orange juice. The delicious spread could not eclipse the best part, however: a light blue birthday card, signed by almost all of Nocturne’s staff and guards. In the center, there was a note from Suds:

_Dear Duchess Nocturne,_

_Happy 18 th Birthday!_

_Serving you everyday is a blessing._

_May the gods above ensure you_

_live a long life, ever full of joy!_

 

Nocturne turned to face Suds, smiling. “Thank you so much.”

Suds smiled back. “I feel as though I should be saying that.” She brushed the side of Nocturne’s face with a gentle hoof. Her smile suddenly developed a twinge of sadness. A tear came to her eye. “You’ve grown up so quickly…”

Nocturne put her own hoof to Suds’s. She started to respond, but stopped herself. Words were not necessary here.

 

* * *

 

Luna glanced up from her paperwork at the sound of her door opened. She beamed when she saw who had entered.

“Happy birthday, sweetheart.”

Nocturne rushed over to her mother, who enveloped her in a hug. She felt hot tears hit the back of her neck. She looked up in surprise, and saw that Luna was crying.

“Mother, are you alright?”

“Yes,” Luna replied. She levitated a handkerchief to her face, dabbing at her eyes. “Forgive me, I just cannot believe how old you have become.”

Nocturne snorted softly. “You make it sound as though I am decades old, Mother.”

Luna shot her a sardonic look. “You know what I meant.” She sighed, and drew Nocturne’s head to her chest. She looked her over with an appraising eye. Gone was the frightened little filly of ten years ago. The mare before her was more mature. She had grown into her lanky body; she seemed more sure of her movements, now. Her wings, awkward and big on a smaller frame, finally looked proportional, and her primaries had started to develop an ombré. The long hair that had looked so silly on a child of her age was even longer now. It suited her. She noted, however, with some concern that Nocturne was still self-conscious about her left eye.

“It feels like it was yesterday, when you came to live here…” She felt Nocturne stiffen; she had an idea of what she would ask.

“Did… did Arpeggio send anything…?”

There was an awkward silence for a moment. Luna drew away from Nocturne. An apprehensive look was on her face.

“I… I am sorry, Nocturne, but no.”

Nocturne remained tense for a few seconds, but gradually loosened up. She took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “I expected as much.” A sad smile grew on her face. “I will not allow the shadows of my past shackle me forever.” She was quiet for a while. “I don’t even know why I asked; it’s not as if she ever did before…”

There had been no signs of Arpeggio even being in Canterlot for years. She had disappeared almost immediately after leaving Nocturne. Luna was glad of it, though. Her daughter had no need of such a parasite in her life. She deserved to be happy.

“Shall we head downstairs for dinner?” Luna asked, desperately wanting to change the subject.

Nocturne smiled. “We wouldn’t want to keep Auntie waiting.”

 

* * *

 

A veritable feast was awaiting them in the dining room. Nocturne noted, with some amusement, that one of the chefs had prepared a side dish of mac n’ cheese. Celestia entered shortly after them.

“Happy birthday, Nocturne!”

Nocturne beamed and cantered up to her aunt. Celestia enveloped her in an embrace with her immense wings, laughing. Luna remained by her chair, observing the two. Nocturne later thought she had seen a sort of bitter sadness creep into her smile. She wondered if maybe her mother was somewhat envious of their relationship, and her sister’s natural flair for acting motherly. As a young filly, she had once overheard Luna confessing to Celestia that she did not feel cut out to be a mother.

Nocturne internally shook her head, driving away the thought. Even if she had a more traditional, maternal relationship with Celestia, Luna would always be her mother.

The three sat down for dinner, enjoying their time together, as a family.

 

* * *

 

Nocturne glanced at the clock on the wall. _1:26 AM_. She placed a bookmark in the new novel her aunt had given her as a gift, laying it gently on the table. She stretched out her wings, then tightened and relaxed her shoulders, exhaling deeply.

In addition to the book, there had been… more books (they were all a part of a series); tickets to the opera, _La Nozze di Figaro_ , along with the promise of the three going to see it together; a gaming system (although Luna was very much a novice at “gaming,” she agreed to try it out – somewhat nervously – when she saw the devilish gleams in the eyes of Nocturne and Celestia); and a beautiful, dazzling tiara, inlaid with rubies (which Luna had commissioned the royal jewelers to craft).

Nocturne had lovingly put her other gifts away earlier, especially careful to store the tiara in a safe location. The mere sight of it had made her feel rather woozy. It seemed to radiate an aura of expensiveness, status, fragility, and, most of all, _power_.

She shook her head. _What am I thinking? It is not as if this was all sprung upon me just yesterday…_ _I will most likely only ever wear it during functions of state, or other important events._ Yet, she shuddered, in spite of herself. She was not fearful, nor disgusted. Merely… overwhelmed by it all.

She left her sitting room and entered her bathroom. Once she had finished washing up for the night, she went to her bedroom.

As soon as she stepped through the door, something felt… off… The room was cold. She shivered as a blast of freezing air filled the room. The storm had died down somewhat, though tiny snowflakes, like flecks of glitter, flew into the room. She noticed one of her windows was open. The curtains, red as blood, drifted like great flags. She closed the window quickly.

She pivoted, glancing about the room. She turned the brightness of the lights up, anxiety slowly coursing through her body. Nervous, she did a quick search of the room. _Nopony else here…_ She breathed a sigh of relief. Just her mind playing tricks on her.

Nocturne flopped onto her bed. She went to turn the lamp on her nightstand off, then paused. A small, black box was sitting there. She was sure her nightstand had been completely clear (aside from the lamp) when she had woken up, and she would have sworn that the box had not been there when she entered the room. A note was attached to it.

_Duchess Nocturne,_

_This was dropped off in the Royal Mail Room this evening. One of the ponies working there told me that a mare claiming to be named “Arpeggio” had dropped it off, simply saying it was for you. Naturally, security checked it over thoroughly. As you were having dinner with the Princesses, I thought it best to leave it here for you._

_-Soap Suds_

Nocturne picked the box up in her magic. She gingerly opened it.

A plain necklace with a thin, silver chain lied on a velvet cushion. The only ornamentation to it was a yellow gem, which hung loosely from the chain; a yellow garnet, briolette cut. The stench of a sickly sweet perfume suddenly seemed to engulf her. She felt nearly overwhelmed with nausea. She quickly snapped the lid shut.

Nocturne’s jaw tightened. She resisted the urge to throw the box across the room. She instead laid it back on the nightstand. She turned the lights off, and covered herself with her blankets.

_I hate yellow…_


	5. His First Assignment

Brave Strike’s day began like any other. He awoke at five in the morning, sharp; got ready for the day; headed to the mess hall of the compound for breakfast. He was called over by a group of cousins at a table, and enjoyed a meal prepared by one of the family’s cooks. The schedule deviated slightly, however, when one of the elder Strikes instructed him to report to the _paterfamilias_ after he finished eating.

“Ooo, is the perfect soldier in trouble for once~?”

Brave responded with an exasperated look for the light blue mare next to him, his cousin, Aquatic Strike. “What are you, twelve? Act your age.”

Aquatic ignored the comment, idly running a hoof through her dark red mane, rustling her feathers, and giving what remained of her left ear a flick. Despite being a young mare of only twenty-three years, her lithe body was covered with scars. Most came from her service in the Equestrian Border Guard – risk was inevitable in areas filled with monsters – though a fair amount undoubtedly stemmed from her penchant for getting into rowdy fights.

The Strike Clan was filled with ponies like Aquatic, with a tendency to fly off the handle before thinking rationally.

“I wonder what the _pater_ would want with you so early, anyway,” Aquatic said, attacking the food on her plate with a feverish gusto. Brave grimaced at her loud eating. This caused her to smirk - a minor victory over him.

Brave turned from her. “Beats me. Must be somewhat important if he wants to see me so early.” He quickly finished his meal, then bid farewell to Aquatic and the others.

As he exited the building, Brave shivered at the sudden change in temperature. The blizzard from the week before was long gone, but the icy chill yet remained, as well as some snow. He sucked in a huge breath of air, its sharp coldness perking him up, and exhaled it out in a cloud of steam.

The Strike Clan’s minor garrison in Canterlot, while very far from the largest or grandest fortress in Equestria, was definitely one of the warmest and most welcoming places ever (though Brave would concede that he was rather biased on the topic). The family was not actually situated in Canterlot, though; their main clanhold was located in Horseshoe Bay, near Baltimare. This one was more akin to a sort of recreation spot for military Strikes assigned to the city and the area around it. The mess hall and central forum were the largest parts of it, with only light housing for the few members who counted it as their home.

Regardless, it still made for a cozy and loving corner of Canterlot.

Most who came were merely family or friends who were killing spare time. Some of the ponies there, such as Aquatic, just happened to be in Canterlot for one reason or another, and would be gone soon. Brave would have belonged to the former group, had he not had some… personal issues with certain things. Thus, he was one of the few who lived there permanently.

A smile crept onto his face at the sight of some foals defending a snow fort. Those inside were pounding the attackers mercilessly with an impressive amount of snowball ammo. One errant snowball missed its intended target, instead hitting an innocent bystander near the battle. Brave laughed as the hapless victim joined the fray, her assailant soon cowed into submission.

He arrived at the _pater_ ’s quarters (he mentally swore for not thinking to wear a coat on such a cold day). Tsunami Strike and his immediate family normally resided at the Strike compound in Horseshoe Bay, but had decided to take a trip to Canterlot for a short time. He wondered if that had something to do with whatever he was going to be told. 

He knocked at the door sharply; after a moment, the door swung open to reveal a groggy, middle-aged, golden mare, levitating a mug of steaming coffee. She brushed aside some loose red-and-yellow strands of her mane in order to get a better look at her visitor. Her eyes widened and a warm smile lit up her face when she saw who was there. 

“Always the early bird, Brave,” Elegant Strike remarked, wrapping her nephew into a loving embrace. She quickly ushered him into the house, closing the door against the cold. She pointed him toward the fireplace, lighting it with a spell. “Want some hot cocoa to warm you up, or some tea?” 

“No, thank you, though.”

Elegant pursed her lips as she sat down by him, motherly concern all over her face. “I don’t want you catching a cold, now. You always look so pale…”

He let out a dismissive snort. “You say that every time you see me, and every time, I tell you it’s ‘cause I have a white coat. Of course I look pale!” He stretched out his wings, relishing the fire’s warmth on his feathers. “Besides, I heard Uncle Tsu wanted to see me."

“Yes, yes, I know that.” She frowned. “Honestly, he could have waited until later. I doubt it’s anything too serious.” She suddenly yawned, covering her mouth with a hoof. “Sorry, you know I’ve never really been a morning pony.” She stood up, glancing at the clock on the wall. “Well, you should probably head into his office to see what he wants, and I have some things to take care of.” She gestured Brave into another hug, which he gladly accepted.

Brave moved toward his uncle’s study, curious about what his uncle wanted. It could be an assignment of some type, and obviously important if the _pater_ of the clan had decided to travel all the way to Canterlot to tell him. He reached his destination. Excitement began to creep into his mind. He had always been merely on-duty for the city, and while he had risen to the rank of corporal, he longed for more responsibility than just being in charge of a small team and minor parts of Canterlot’s defensive units. A sudden new commission would bring new experiences, a change of pace, chances to test his worth as a soldier-

Brave shook his head in an attempt to help clear his mind. He was twenty-one years old, and he would _not_ act childishly. Being a soldier was serious work, and distracting himself would only lessen his capabilities. He breathed in deeply. He calmly raised a hoof to the study door, giving it a light rap.

“Come in,” his uncle’s voice called from within.

Brave entered, shutting the door behind him. The small office was sparsely decorated, though a few family photographs added a touch of warmth to the otherwise austere room. His uncle, Tsunami, with his tan coat, dark blue mane, and impressive beard, was seated behind his desk. Brave nearly went up to him, but quickly remembered himself, instead snapping into a salute. 

“At ease, Corporal.”

Brave relaxed his body, noting his uncle’s choice of words. If he was being addressed by his rank, clearly it was going to be an assignment of consequence.

Tsunami gestured to the seat in front of his desk, upon which Brave promptly sat. “You’re probably wondering about why I called you in today.”

“Am I to be assigned somewhere, _pater_?”

Tsunami nodded. “Yes, that’s correct.”

Brave swallowed. He felt the excitement starting to return. He wished his uncle would hurry up and tell him what he would be doing already. Mercifully, he did so. 

“I received word a while back that Princess Celestia was going around the major clans, apparently looking for promising young soldiers. She asked each _pater_ and _mater_ to provide our own suggestions for her. You were among the ponies I chose.”

Brave’s flushed. “You honor me, _pater_.”

Tsunami waved a hoof dismissively. “Don’t let it go to your head, Corporal. Anyway, Her Highness seemed to take a particular interest in you. She requested a chance for her and some high-ranking officers in the Royal Guard to observe you in person, in order to better gauge your capability as a soldier. I called you in today to see if you agree to this.”

To say that Brave was surprised would be an immense understatement. _The_ Princess Celestia was involved? And she was impressed with his skills, apparently! This had come so far out of left field for him that he sat stupidly in a dumbfounded silence for quite a while. He barely registered an amused snort from Tsunami.

“I guess I’ll take your silence as a ‘no,’ then. I’ll tell her you politely decline.”

That snapped Brave out of his funk. “Nonononono, _pater_! I-I was, it’s just th-that, y’know, this, this, it’s very…” His mouth was running ahead of his brain. He shut his mouth, trying to gather his thoughts. “I was just… caught off-guard by this, _pater_.”

Tsunami glowered at him; Brave flinched. “A soldier should never allow himself to be ‘caught off-guard,’ Corporal.” Brave gulped, and nodded frantically. His uncle’s sour look suddenly melted, a casual grin replacing it. “It seems that you never change, nephew. So, you accept Her Highness’s request, then?”

“Y-yes, _pater_.” His composure regained, he asked, “If Princess Celestia approves of me, what will my new assignment and duties be?”

Tsunami took a paper from his desk and glanced over it. “Her Highness apparently wants to add you to the Musical Guard. Specifically, as one of the personal escorts of her niece, the Duchess Nocturne.”

The information once again surprised Brave, although he remained in control of his senses this time. “You mean, one of her close bodyguards?” Tsunami nodded. “I don’t mean to question Her Highness, but am I really a good choice to guard the duchess? I’m just twenty-one, surely she wants an older and more experienced pony guarding her _niece_.”

“Yes, I had wondered about that too,” Tsunami conceded, “so I asked some of the Strikes working in the palace if they had heard anything. From what I heard, Princess Celestia is worried about Duchess Nocturne’s social skills.”

“Wait,” Brave interjected, “I’m confused here, _pater_.”

“Oh? How so?”

“Duchess Nocturne is a member of the royal family – I doubt she got to eighteen without learning how to interact with other ponies.”

“Ah, that’s what you meant. Sorry, I should’ve clarified.” Tsunami cleared his throat. “I meant that the princess wants her niece to be able to interact normally, and to get to know ponies her age who aren’t just sycophants. Now, don’t say this outside of this room, but it sounds like the duchess doesn’t have many true friends, much less any outside of her social class. That’s why Her Highness wants someone younger.

“And before you ask,” Tsunami added upon seeing Brave about to interject, “you wouldn’t be allowed to interact with the duchess all willy-nilly, without any supervision. For numerous reasons.” (Heat rose in Brave’s face, irate at the implication his uncle thought him _that_ kind of stallion). “A more experienced pony would oversee your actions, in addition to the duchess’s other bodyguards.”

Brave was still unsatisfied. “I’m still confused why a duchess would befriend a mere corporal. A royal pony doesn’t hang around normal ponies.”

“While it would definitely be odd for ones like Duke Blueblood, I’ve heard that Duchess Nocturne is actually quite close with her staff. Besides, proper rulers need to be able to connect with their subjects. Don’t you remember that old legend about noble children who had to wander Equestria disguised as peasants, as a lesson of humility and treating their subjects properly?”

Brave nodded. “I can see what you mean.”

Tsunami put a hoof to his chin in thought, scratching at his beard absent-mindedly. “I guess Princess Celestia wants her niece to have as much of a normal life as she can get, being a duchess and all. Frankly, I agree. The girl’s only barely an adult; she deserves to enjoy her youth while she can.

“Well,” Tsunami said after a while, “it looks like I have a letter to Princess Celestia to write.” He stood up and stretched, his large wings fanning out. “You’re dismissed for the day, Corporal.”

“Thank you, _pater_ ,” Brave replied, standing up as well. He started for the door.

“Brave.”

He stopped, turning back to his uncle. “Yeah, Uncle Tsu?”

Tsunami smiled. “Your father would have been proud.”

Brave’s eyes stung as he left the room. He must have gotten something in them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone is wondering about the whole clan, "paterfamilias," etc. stuff, I took inspiration from Chengar Qordath's "The Lunar Rebellion" on FIMFiction (link here: https://www.fimfiction.net/story/77470/the-lunar-rebellion). This concept won't be important to the story, I just thought it would be interesting to have as a bit of background. :)
> 
> In this story, there are some large families ("clans") that are similar to knightly houses. The ponies belonging to one come from a common ancestor and share the same last name (Brave Strike, Aquatic Strike, Tsunami Strike, etc.), which promotes unity in the family. The "paterfamilias" or "pater" is the head of the clan (can also be "mater"). They have one major compound somewhere in Equestria, where lots of ponies can stay! The entire clan living together has largely fallen out of practice in the modern day, however, as the importance of immediate family rose over that of the larger family as a whole. It couldn't sustain a lot of ponies living there for a long time, anyway. The main compound is mostly used as a go-to spot for family reunions and housing for down-on-their luck members.
> 
> Most clans have a MUCH smaller extra compound in Canterlot, as it's the capital, except for the Shimmer Clan, whose compound is located at the base of the mountain
> 
> Pretty much all clans are involved with the Equestrian military and/or have strong ties to it.
> 
> Clans are not the same as Noble Houses, which do have names (Sparkle, Lulamoon, Blueblood, etc.), but are not shared by all family members. However, that does not stop members from adding it to their name (for example, Twilight Sparkle uses her house's name, but her parents and brother do not).
> 
>  
> 
> By the way, the "Duke Blueblood" mentioned in this chapter is actually Prince Blueblood. It always irked me that he's called a prince in the show, and anyway, by the rule I established in the story earlier, he's a duke here no matter what. He'll probably only ever be mentioned in the story, since he ain't important. :P


	6. First Impressions - Brave Strike

Brave felt _very_ out of place. Upon arriving at the palace, he had been ushered into a sitting room to wait until it was time to meet the duchess. Being surrounded by so much finery and wealth on display was perfect for making a non-noble pony feel uncomfortable. _One wrong touch could break most of these things_. He shuddered at the thought. One of his wings fidgeted involuntarily. He became aware of an itch on his chest. A hoof came up to his scar, scratching idly.

The scar had faded about a year ago, but occasionally bothered him. He had acquired it three weeks after he had turned eighteen. July 1st, to be exact. The memory was painful for him to think about, but the date was seared into his brain.

He shook the memory from his head. It was his first day on the job. He could not allow himself to get distracted or mess up. He had to focus.

He turned his thoughts to his new job. About a month ago, there had been an _extremely_ stressful few days of knowing Princess Celestia and other high-ranking ponies had been watching his every move. Shortly after, he had been summoned to the royal palace for an interview with both of the princesses. That had managed to cause even more anxiety. At that point, it seemed as though it was mostly a formality; most of the questions they had asked had been completely irrelevant to a soldier skill set.

 

* * *

 

_Two weeks earlier..._

_"Corporal, have you any interest in musical theatre?"_

_Brave was thrown off by the question. The conservation before this had been pretty normal (aside from the whole "speaking with your nation's leaders" part): why he had chosen to join the Equestrian Military; his special talent, and more specifically, his skill with the spear and lance; his family; etc. The fact that Princess Celestia's serene, unreadable expression never left her face made it feel even more out of left field. Even Princess Luna looked a bit surprised._

_"Well, I never gave it much thought. I don't_ hate _it or anything, but it's not like I'm obsessed with it. And I obviously never acted in a play." He thought for a second. "I've listened to some songs from musicals, and read some plot summaries, and they were pretty good, actually." He was going to question the relevance of the subject, then decided that questioning the Solar Alicorn was not in his best interests._

_Princess Celestia nodded, taking a sip from her teacup. "Understandable. And do you sing, or dance at all?"_

_Brave was truly baffled now. And unless he was seeing things, Princess Luna was giving her sister a barely noticeable glare. She gave her a subtle nudge with a wing. If it was possible for a pony to non-visually roll their eyes, Princess Celestia did it._

_"Actually, my mom signed me up for dance lessons when I was a colt. My step-dad made me stop after a few years, though."_ And shoved me into the Junior Training Facility _, he added silently. "I ended up doing it again when I got older, though. There was an informal class at EMA, run by ponies more enthusiastic about it." He left out that he had mostly joined it to spite his step-dad. "And," he added with a crooked smile, "I've never sang outside of a private shower, Your Highness."_

_"A good thing we shan't be expecting you to sing on a regular basis, then," Princess Celestia added with a gentle laugh._

_Princess Luna merely sighed. She turned her attention to the folder in front of her. "So, Corporal, your file says you once engaged in a fight with a gang of bandits whilst only nineteen years of age?"_

_Brave let out a breath he had not even realized he had been holding. Thanking Celestia (which felt weird, with her right in front of him) for the shift to familiar territory, he answered, "Yes, the 'Merry Outlaws' had been a thorn in the Canterlot City Watch for a long time..."_

 

* * *

 

The door suddenly opened, startling Brave out of his thoughts. A mare entered the room. "Corporal Brave Strike?" He nodded. "Duchess Nocturne will see you now."

She gestured for him to follow her. They walked through a long hallway with windows looking out on a garden. Aside from the sounds of hooves on marble, there was silence. He felt anxiety start to creep in, which was irritating; usually, he was more laid-back and confident. His mouth felt dry. As if sensing this, the mare looked over at him. "Nervous?" He gave a quick nod. She put on a reassuring smile. "It's certainly understandable. Not every day a pony gets to work for royalty. Don't worry, though. Duchess Nocturne is a sweet filly, couldn't hurt a fly. Her staff and guard love her to death. And she's more down-to-earth than most nobles. You'll enjoy working for her."

They stopped outside of a set of large doors with intricate carvings. The mare put her hoof to a stone tablet off to the side, which glowed at her touch. When most of the door carvings started glowing too, Brave realized that they were runes. The doors opened, and the two entered into a small antechamber. "We're in the duchess's apartment, this is the vestibule," she explained. Two other ponies were already there, an Earth pony he did not know, and a unicorn he instantly recognized.

"Cheerful?!"

The tall, pink unicorn turned around. Her face lit up with a grin when she saw who had called her name - which was impressive, considering her already incessant upbeat attitude. "Brave! It's been too long since I last saw you." She gave him a brief squeeze with a foreleg. "How are Aunt Elly and Uncle Tsu?"

"They're alright, glad not to see _your_ side of the family, like usual." That earned him cuff on the side of his head.

"Oh, spare me," Cheerful said with a snort. "Y'know my mom's still annoyed Aunt Elly didn't visit when they were in town?"

"They were only here for a couple days, what did she expect?"

While not blood related, the two were quite close, due in large part to both of them living in Canterlot. Cheerful was the daughter of Radiant Shimmer, _materfamilias_ of the Shimmer Clan. Elegant, sister to Radiant, had married Tsunami Strike. If there had not already been a small property set aside for any Strike ponies in Canterlot, Brave might have accepted the Shimmers' hospitality and lived at their compound.

Cheerful turned toward the Earth pony, who was looking awkward, and waved her over. "This is Amber. We were gettin' to know each other before you showed up."

Amber was a light brown mare. Her mane was half-yellow, half-red, and done half-up. "Hello." She walked over to the two. Brave figured she was from Neighpon, since her gray eyes and general facial structure looked like the ponies from that area. He was more curious, though, as to why she was here; her short height and total lack of any visible strength nearly screamed that she was non-military.

"Are you some sort of plain-clothes security or something?"

Amber snorted derisively. "As if. I got hired as a lady-in-waiting. I'm pretty sure the duchess would be of more use in a fight than me."

Brave nodded. Turning back to Cheerful, he asked, "I'm guessing _you_ are another bodyguard, though, right?"

"Yep! I'll be one of your supervisors."

Brave blinked. "Uhh, what?"

Cheerful rolled her eyes, and started to swat at his head, which he quickly deflected. "Clean out your ears. And yeah, you'll be answering to me as soon as we're sworn in. Didn't Uncle Tsu tell ya?"

"Well, _yeah_ , obviously. He told me I would have more experienced soldiers supervising me. He didn't say anything about _you_ , though!"

"What, you upset?" A smirk grew on her face. "Or are you just afraid I'm gonna make your life hell?"

"Considering past relationships with guys..." he quipped, _sotto voce_.

Her smirk never left her face, but her eyes narrowed dangerously. "Hmm? I didn't quite catch that."

Brave weighed his two options. Perhaps instigating a brawl with her in the royal palace _right_ before meeting his new boss was unwise. "Nothing, oh dearest cousin."

"Smart choice."

"Are you two always like this?"

The two turned back to Amber. They looked at each other, and simultaneously answered, "Yeah, pretty much."

"Figured as much."

At that point, the mare who had walked Brave over suddenly came out from a door off to the right (coincidentally, this was also when Brave noticed she had ever left), and told them Duchess Nocturne would see them now. She open the door wider, and ushered them inside the room.

The room turned out to be a drawing room. The decor was luxurious, yet tasteful. A log fire was blazing away merrily in the fireplace, a nice contrast to the bleak and chilly day outside. A long couch faced a mahogany coffee table, which held a fancy tea set. On the other side of the table was a crimson love seat, next to which stood a light brown alicorn. Her dark blue mane, offset by a thick streak of turquoise, was so long that it nearly reached her knees. Her forelock parted to the right, and was also very long, covering her right eye. Her visible left eye was a brilliant green, like a polished emerald. Her smile was soft and demure. She seemed like a stereotypical ingénue; objectively pretty, yes, but not really his style.

Duchess Nocturne happened to meet his eye. He suddenly realized he _might_ have been staring at her. Just a little. She looked at him... oddly for a second, before suddenly flushing and hastily turning her gaze to the others. _Weird_. He was more worried that he had been subconsciously (yep, totally subconsciously and not of his own volition) checking her out.

The duchess cleared her throat. "Good afternoon. I am Duchess Nocturne. I welcome you warmly to my home." The three bowed deeply to her. She inclined her head in recognition. As they rose, she beckoned for them to sit around the table. They sat on the long couch, her on the crimson one. "How do you take your tea?"

After some tea and small sandwiches, she stood up, her horn glowing with a soft gray light. "Sergeant Cheerful Shimmer, Corporal Brave Strike" - the two took this as a sign to stand up too - "are you ready to swear the oath?"

They nodded. Kneeling once more, they recited: "We solemnly swear that we will stand by your side. We will shield you from harm, stay faithful and true, and obey your every command. We so swear by the Great Pantheon above."

Duchess Nocturne responded: "I solemnly swear to respect you. I shall trust you in times of peril, and never ask of you any action that would be dishonorable. You will always have a home by my hearth and a meal at my table. I so swear by the Great Pantheon above." She lowered her horn. The empty disc on each of their breastplates glowed briefly, a black quarter note materializing on them. She lifted her head. "Arise, new members of the Musical Guard."

 

* * *

 

Brave and Cheerful spent the rest of the day becoming acclimated to the Royal Barracks. After the wedding of Princess Cadance and Captain Shining Armor, the princesses had decided to increase the size of the Royal Guard, which inevitably led to a need for an expansion to the barracks. Coincidentally, there was a large, unused space - practically right underneath the already existing barracks - that two _extremely_ high-ranking ponies had gotten trapped in, nearly forever. The Royal Barracks had thus been extended downward, with all new guards being placed in the lowest level as a part of the hazing ritual. The building was rather large, and its semi-secret, mainly for convenience, entrances into the palace, as well as becoming acquainted to the rest of the Musical Guard, meant that the two newcomers had to be briefed and introduced.

Amber, on the other hand, would be living in the palace, near Duchess Nocturne's quarters, so all she really needed to learn was her way around the palace, in addition to receiving her duties and getting to know her new colleagues.

Later that night, once the two soldiers were done moving in, they hung out in Brave's room before going to sleep.

"So, what was your impression of the duchess?"

"She seemed nice enough. Way too formal."

"Mm. Seems a given, though, don'tchya think? I mean, she was raised in a _castle_ by the princesses. And a duchess acting all 'normal' wouldn't look so good."

"Yeah..."

"Sooooooo, did you think she was cute?"

Brave, who had up to then been lounging on his bed, shot up. "What?!" His face started to grow hot.

"Gods, you're easy to fluster. I asked, did you find her attractive?"

Brave glared at her, lied back down, and turned to face the wall. "Well, yeah, but so what?"

"Ooo~"

"Oh, shut it. Anyone with eyes could have told you that. She's not my type, and even if she was, she's a _duchess_. No chance." He was quiet for a moment. When he spoke again, his voice was quieter. "And you of all ponies should know I'm not looking for a relationship anymore..."

Cheerful looked at him, her silliness from earlier forgotten. "You and your melodrama. You need to move on from that _bitch_ and stop letting her ruin your life!"

"..."

She sighed. "Whatever. I'll leave you to be miserable." She left the room, turning off the light and closing the door.


	7. First Impressions - Nocturne

Nocturne stifled a yawn. _It is far too early for me to be awake right now..._ Her mother had warned her she would have to be ready by ten in the morning, but her internal clock told her that this was too much to ask for, thank you very much. Soap Suds has offered to make her some coffee, but the young duchess could never learn to love the taste of that bitter, horrid concoction so many ponies seemed to adore. She felt the urge to yawn again. This time, it was too powerful for her to fight down.

“Cover your mouth when yawning, Nocturne.”

Nocturne quickly lifted a hoof to her mouth, her face growing warm. “I beg your pardon, Mother.”

The stern look her mother was currently wearing softened. “Believe me, Nocturne, I empathize with you right now,” Luna said. She skewered a piece of a pancake with her fork and placed the syrup- and butter-covered fluffy sweetness into her mouth. She sighed in contentment. “Ahh... the pancake is truly one of the greater inventions to come about during my absence.”

Nocturne’s ears perked up at that. Her mother almost never mentioned her thousand-year sojourn on the moon, even in indirect ways.

Ignoring the profound statement she had just uttered, Luna continued. “Disrupting your sleeping habits is no issue when it is only once or twice, but I will concede that it... how do ponies say it now... it feels as though you have been run over by a cart, no?”

Nocturne chuckled. “It does, Mother. I did not think it would be so awful...”

“Well, perhaps if you had gone to bed at a reasonable hour...”

“2:00 AM is a _perfectly_ reasonable time to go to sleep,” Nocturne retorted, frowning. “And you were up the entire night!”

“Very true.” Luna nodded, taking a sip of lemon water. She lowered the cup, revealing a small, yet sly, grin. “I hope you remember, though, that I had to see to my duties in the Night Court, I am a full-grown alicorn, and I told you to go to bed earlier.” She covered a yawn of her own. "Regardless, I shall be retiring for bed soon."

Quietly conceding defeat, Nocturne returned to her breakfast.

The two sat in serene silence for a time, the only sounds being the scraping of utensils on plates. Nocturne had always loved her mother’s private dining room. Warm sunlight poured into the room, but the dark, muted colors of the room turned her aunt’s powerful rays into a more bearable level of brightness. There was very little ornamentation - a holdover from Luna’s more ancient, spartan days - but what little decoration that did exist was expensive, yet tasteful. Celestia’s dining room was brighter, more ornate. This was simple, calming, quieter.

The three usually ate meals in the Royal Dining Hall, but Celestia was currently attending to her own duties at the Day Court. It could accommodate about a dozen or so ponies, and was reserved for those of the Royal Family. And then there was the Great Hall, where visiting dignitaries were shown the splendor of a true Equestrian feast.

Her mother suddenly called her out of her reverie. “Art thou yare f'r the c'remony the present day?”

Nocturne beamed. While Luna had adapted to the modern form of the Common Tongue long ago, she occasionally slipped into the archaic way of speaking she had learned as a filly. She often used it when in private with Nocturne. She would have used it with Celestia as well, but her aunt could not stand it. Nocturne could not understand why. Using “thou” in place of “you” signified a much closer relationship. She felt... special when her mother addressed her in this way.

“Aye, I suppose I am.” She glanced down at her plate. She had been absentmindedly toying with her food for the past ten minutes, and what was left had gone cold. She swallowed. “'Tis simply disquieting, the thought I may make a misprision.”

Luna got up from her seat and walked over to her. A warm, comforting hoof landed gently on her shoulder. “Thou wilt be fine. Just be calm, and do not panic.” A gentle smile spread on her muzzle. She kissed Nocturne’s brow softly.

As Luna stood up, she dropped the archaic speaking. “Return to your room, and prepare, then.“ Her horn lit up a pale silvery blue as she reached out with her magic, ringing the bell for a servant to clean up the table. She turned back, saw Nocturne still seated, and the stern look reappeared. “That was not a suggestion, dearest daughter.”

Nocturne promptly decided that leaving her mother’s chambers was a wise course of action and did so.

 

* * *

 

Nocturne was getting tired of waiting.

After one of the maids had left to escort Cheerful Shimmer, Amber, and Brave Strike to her chambers, she had been left to wait in her room. Despite her mother’s earlier advice, she found the start of panic beginning to rise once again. Her heart was racing, fear about to course through her veins. She closed her eyes, taking a long, soothing breath. A hoof went to her chest, a semi-fruitless attempt to calm her nerves. The breath soon escaped her mouth in a ragged sigh.

She had the feeling this would not be nearly as stressful had it not been for her merciless aunt...

 

* * *

 

_Three weeks earlier…_

_“Captain Nebula is assisting us in observing them - of course, you will have to take responsibility of this when you are older - but after the personal interview, it is largely a formality.”_

_Luna levitated the two files she had been perusing over to Celestia, who began to review them as well. Her eyebrows raised ever so slightly in response to what she read.._

_“Impressive,” she murmured, half to herself. “These two have quite the list of achievements for ponies so young.” She glanced up at Luna. “And it is true this Brave Strike is only twenty-one years of age?”_

_Nocturne started, almost imperceptibly. That name, “Brave Strike,” sounded vaguely familiar… She soon dismissed the thought. There were quite a few guards with “Strike” in their name. This one was probably of the same clan._

_Luna nodded as she poured tea into her cup. “Yes, it is true. I was rather amazed, myself. It is to be expected, though, from his family. The Strikes appear to have a record of protégés.”_

_Celestia shifted her attention back to the file. A thoughtful look manifested in her eyes. A mischievous glint flickered for a second. She put aside the papers and returned to her meal, a small, soft and benign smile on her face._

_“Nocturne, do you wish for romance?”_

_A fork was dropped. To say that Nocturne was surprised by this question was an understatement. It was more akin to walking in on her mother wearing a clown suit. She sputtered incoherently, her face turning red. The serene and motherly smile never left Celestia’s face._

_“Dear niece, are you alright?”_

_“I-I-I don’t h-have any idea what you’re talking about, Auntie!” The sputtering and coughing died down as she drank from a glass of water._

_“Oh, do forgive me. I just assumed, girls your age often have dreams of their knight in shining armor.” A wistful tone colored her speech as she continued, “I remember, back when I was a filly…”_

_“I am not a little filly anymore, Auntie!” Oh, wonderful, now she was yelling. Celestia ignored her outburst, instead continuing with her memories._

_Glaring over the rim of her cup, Luna added, “Celestia, do act your age, for once.”_

_“Very rich coming from one who was always swooning over Mother’s guards.”_

_The tea that had once been in Luna’s mouth quickly found itself in a new location. “I did_ **_no_ ** _such thing!”_

_Celestia giggled. It was an evil sound. “Oh, really? My memory must be going. I seem to remember a certain filly confessing to picking roses for a certain General-”_

_“I told you that in the strictest of confidences!!” The teacup had followed the drink, though at a much swifter velocity. It hit the wall and promptly shattered. Luna’s head snapped toward the noise. “Feathering…”_

_“Little sister!” Celestia yelled in a mocking admonishment. “You kissed our mother with that mouth?!”_

_Nocturne was trying_ very _hard to curl up in her seat. Unfortunately, her aunt redirected her mischief._

_“Do forgive me, Nocturne, I had quite forgotten I was speaking to you.” Her mood became maternal once more. “Now, what were we discussing…”_

_“_ **_Celestia!_ ** _” Luna had apparently forgotten her ruined teacup. In her anger, she switched to her archaic speaking and, unfortunately, the Royal Canterlot Voice. “_ **_Thou canst not continue with thine offensive prattle!_ ** _” The dishes on the table rattled at the sheer force of her words, and Nocturne could feel her chair vibrating._

_“Hush, Luna,” Celestia said, waving a hoof absentmindedly, “and you really need to stop speaking like that. It makes me feel so old.” She tapped a hoof on her chin, a parody of deep thought. Her horn lit up with a golden glow, and a literal lightbulb appeared over her head! “Aha! Now I recall. Nocturne, has any particular stallion caught your eye~?”_

_“Auntieeee!” Nocturne buried her face in her hooves, her wings covering herself for good measure. She wanted to die in a ditch._

_Celestia made a disapproving sound with her tongue. “Now, now, none of that, please.” Nocturne felt her aunt’s magic envelop her wings, forcing them to open. “You are a young lady now, after all. And you have not answered my question. Surely you have tried to sneak off with a young stallion, like a certain filly I recall?”_

_“_ **_Celestia, thou wilst cease thy_ ** _\- mmph?!” Luna was cut off by a golden glow closing her muzzle._

 _“Auntie, I have_ not _done such a thing!!”_

_“Truly? I am quite surprised, considering how much of a mischievous filly your mother was.” Luna tried to break her mouth free to yell again, but Celestia’s magical strength far outclassed her own. “A pity, I would have loved giving you advice.” A particularly evil look grew on her face. “I take it you are uninterested in the companionship of stallions, then?”_

_Nocturne was instantly suspicious. Something about the tone of voice her aunt had suddenly adopted was wrong. “Yeeees…? I do not view any stallions in a romantic way, Auntie.”_

_She realized she should have tread more carefully as Celestia’s catlike grin widened. “Ah! I should have known!” She leaned down and put a motherly hoof on Nocturne’s shoulder. “You know, you should never fear confiding such important information to me. I would never judge you harshly.”_

_“What do you mean?” a nervous Nocturne asked._

_“My dearest niece, both your mother and I were totally ignorant that you liked mares.”_

_The rest of the evening erupted into pandemonium. Somewhere in the castle, Discord was laughing maniacally._

 

* * *

 

Nocturne shuddered at the memory of that night. She hoped to never think of it again.

Desperately turning her thoughts away to a different subject, she skimmed through the three papers on the table. She could not explain why, but she felt herself drawn to the one about that stallion… “Brave Strike.” She could have sworn she had heard that name before, but where?

Almost subconsciously, she imagined her aunt whispering into her ear, “The ponies of Neighpon believe all living creatures have a red string tying them to their destined lover."

Face flushing, she quickly dropped the papers. They soon found themselves being unceremoniously shoved into a random desk drawer. She shook her head in a vain attempt to banish the very idea.

_Why does Aunt Celestia have to make things so frustrating...?_

She took another calming breath. She contemplated. She told herself she was being ridiculous. These three ponies were complete strangers. And what were the odds of finding her “soulmate” in them? (Well, probably at most a thirty-three percent chance, seeing as how only one of them was a stallion). Even if he was attractive, so what? He was a mere corporal, without a knighthood and not of a noble lineage. She had nothing to worry about at all!

Now more relaxed and in control of her thoughts, she returned to her more rational worries. She had visited the palace’s private shrine the day before, praying to the Great Pantheon for the ceremony to go smoothly. In particular, she had sought help from the god of music. Though the gods had no names, they had many epithets; Nocturne’s favorite for this god was “Apollo.” She wanted - no, _needed_ \- to get through the day without any embarrassment or mistakes. That meant no accidentally causing non-diegetic music.

Most ponies informally called it a crowd song, but ancient worshippers of Apollo had termed it “heartsong.” It was a powerful, primeval, and largely mysterious magic that affected all sapient creatures, but ponies were especially susceptible to it. It usually happened naturally, though particularly musically talented ponies could start it of their own volition. Being the alicorn of music, Nocturne was one such pony. She had trained herself through the years in what commonly triggered the phenomenon in order to avoid doing so herself, but even she could not fully control it. She could count in the two-digit numbers how many times it had happened during a celebration or foreign visit that she had attended.

It was not likely to occur with only four ponies present, but she would rather be safe than sorry. She quickly went over the usual instigators. _Okay, so no dramatic pauses, no lead-in or cue lines, and no speaking with a dramatic affect._

A sudden knock at the door nearly made her scream. “Your Grace, are you ready to receive them?”

Nocturne plastered on a ladylike smile and straightened her back. “Yes, Morning Dew, please let them enter.”

The first to enter was Amber, her new lady-in-waiting. The tan Earth pony, originally a commoner who had been orphaned at a young age, was the adopted daughter of Lord Flowing Water and Lady Winter Blossom of House Blossom. At least one of her birth parents had to be from Neighpon; her short stature and facial structure definitely revealed her heritage. Her red and golden mane had been put into a simple, yet proper, half-up bun. Nocturne noted that although she took great care to appear like a respectable young lady, something about how she carried herself betrayed a hidden, fiercer personality underneath the mask.

Behind her came a pink unicorn, Cheerful Shimmer. Despite being a sergeant who had helped to stop the Grassroots Rebellion just the previous year, she acted rather… effervescently for a member of the military. Even her red mane and tail, both rather short, radiated the feeling of pure energy and excitement. Nocturne was reminded of the Element of Laughter, Pinkie Pie of Ponyville, and idly wondered if they were somehow related.

Finally, the white pegasus, Brave Strike entered. As soon as she laid eyes on him, Nocturne immediately realized why his name had been giving her such a sense of _déjà vu_. She had met him five years ago, back when she had visited the Equestrian Military Academy! _Well, alright, that explains how I already and vaguely knew who he was, but why did it seem so significant?_ _We just crossed paths that one time. He was just another cadet, standing alongside four others._

Upon closer look, Nocturne realized that his coat was actually not a pure white, rather a very light silver. It covered a tall and well toned body. Not large and bulky, like a draft stallion - why any mare would like a stallion with so many muscles, like a bodybuilder, baffled her. His brown, shortly cut mane and tail looked as though they were soft to the touch. Underneath his chestplate, she caught a glimpse of a fading scar, most of it hidden by his armor. She wondered if he had acquired it in a fight with a monster or enemy soldier. _Would it be rude to ask?_

She happened to meet his eyes, blue as a deep lake of the purest water. With a start, she became aware that she had been staring at him for gods-only-knew how long. Her heart raced, embarrassment overtook her mind, and if the sudden heat she felt was any indication, her face had lit up into a brilliant shade of crimson. She averted her gaze, and focused on the two mares.

Now terrified, she cleared her throat, feeling like she had been called to deliver a speech in front of all Canterlot without any preparation or warning. "Good afternoon. I am Duchess Nocturne.” _Oh, gods above, what am I supposed to say next?!_ “I welcome you warmly to my home."

As the three lowered themselves into a deep bow, she desperately wished she knew the exact amount of time she had to keep them there. She signaled for them to rise after a few seconds, then gestured for them to sit around the table.

“How do you take your tea?”

She played hostess for a few moments, exchanging small talk and offering them small sandwiches to go with the tea. Steeling her nerves, she stood up, her horn glowing with a soft gray light. "Sergeant Cheerful Shimmer, Corporal Brave Strike" - the two then stood as well - "are you ready to swear the oath?"

They nodded and kneeled again. They recited: "We solemnly swear that we will stand by your side. We will shield you from harm, stay faithful and true, and obey your every command. We so swear by the Great Pantheon above."

Nocturne took one last deep breath, and responded: "I solemnly swear to respect you. I shall trust you in times of peril, and never ask of you any action that would be dishonorable. You will always have a home by my hearth and a meal at my table. I so swear by the Great Pantheon above." She lowered her horn to the empty discs on each of their chestplates. As soon as she touched them, they lit up with a bright light, fading to reveal a black quarter note on a white circle. She lifted her head. She could not suppress her satisfied grin. "Arise, new members of the Musical Guard."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, yeah, I know, using the names of the Greek gods is unoriginal. But whatever. I can't come up with a creative and original mythology for Equestria, beyond maybe turning Catholicism into something involving the almighty Fausticorn. Sue me!
> 
> don't actually sue me, please :)


	8. Getting to Know You…

Nocturne awoke, sweating. A scream perched on her lips, silent, deciding not to fly forth. She swallowed, hard. Her heart was racing. Yet the pounding in her ears was beginning to subside. Her breathing became more regular, the gasps fading. She closed her eyes, breathed in deeply. A choked sob exited her mouth. Startled, she raised a hoof to her face. When she drew it back, she saw that it was wet.

She glanced over at the large grandfather clock across the room. The sun’s weak, early-morning rays found it difficult to pierce through her curtains, making it hard to see. Her eyes gradually adjusted, until she could make out the hands: 5:43.

She sighed. As she relaxed her body, she snuggled into her pillow, drawing her blankets tighter around herself. She tried to remember the horrible nightmare that had yanked her from the sweetness of a deep sleep. For a brief second, she thought she smelled something sweet. Her mind suddenly cringed back, as though it had just touched a hot stove. She closed her eyes and tried to go back to sleep. She slowly drifted back into a dreamless sleep

Soap Suds opened the curtains at nine o’clock in the morning. The bright sunlight blazed through the wide window, straight into Nocturne’s unsuspecting eyelids. Grumbling incoherently, she covered her head with the blanket. Her maid was undeterred, and simply yanked the blanket off of her whole body. Nocturne took the hint. She yawned, wondering why she felt so tired.

She did not remember the nightmare. She never did.

 

* * *

 

Amber was fidgeting. She picked at the food on her plate, idly pushing around bits of scrambled eggs. She realized she was slouching. Glancing quickly at the other pony at the table, she tried to straighten her back as subtly as possible.

“Is everything alright, Amber?”

Cursing under her breath, she set down her fork with a soft sigh. Placing a polite and proper smile on her face, she replied, “My sincerest apologies, Duchess. I am afraid I did not get much sleep last night.”

Duchess Nocturne smiled back. Amber wondered if it looked a bit strained. “I can understand that feeling quite well.” She turned her gaze onto her own plate. A deafening silence settled back over the room.

Amber had been serving the duchess for a week, yet interactions between the two had been awkward ever since they had met. She had no idea how to speak to her new boss. Sure, they were the same age, and both belonged to noble families, but Nocturne was an alicorn, the daughter of Princess Luna! Amber had no idea of how she was supposed to address her.

She supposed she was over-thinking her situation, probably. It had been explained to her beforehand that most of her job as a lady-in-waiting was to attend the duchess as a companion, so it was not as if she would have to do anything very strenuous. Still, she could not help but feel anxious. She felt as though she could not relax in the palace. She had accompanied the duchess to court once already, where the Canterlot elite looked down upon anything and everything, from not having the right bloodline to sneezing into the right elbow instead of the left. Besides those wonderful, fun-loving ponies were the castle staff, who could seemingly appear out of thin air if a pony so much as blinked. It gave her the impression that she could never find true privacy.

Amber decided to put such worries out of her head for the time being, focusing instead on her breakfast. Eating later in the morning was definitely strange.

 _Alas, such is the fate of serving a nocturnal mare,_ she mused. She stifled an amused snort. _Heh, the nocturnal Nocturne._

The duchess chose that moment to courageously break the silence. “So… Amber, when my mother and aunt interviewed you, you said you considered yourself to be a music lover. I was wondering what genres you enjoyed.

Amber perked up. _Finally, something I can actually talk about! Wait, shit, I shouldn’t say anything crazy. We’d be right back at square one if I mention something she doesn’t know anything about._ “Oh, um, I like classical. It’s lovely to listen to a talented chamber ensemble, or watch an opera.”

“Yes, it is,” Nocturne responded. Her warm smile slipped ever so slightly. “It is just… I am almost always listening to classical music here, or something of a ‘similar level of quality.’ I wanted to know if, perhaps, you could introduce me to more… ‘normal’ types of music?”

“Umm, well, Bridleway shows can be-”

“Maybe something more mainstream?”

 _Ah, screw it._ Amber gulped. “I love heavy metal. Rocking out to it is a great stress relief. I usually wait ’til my parents aren’t home so I can play it without them freaking out on me. I would sing along to it too, but I’m nervous I would blow out my voice.”

Nocturne tilted her head quizzically. “‘Heavy metal?’ Why was the genre given that name?”

Amber paused. “I’m not totally sure about that. It’s been around for a while, and I wasn’t when it started taking off. I guess it’s because it came out of rock music, but focuses more on electric guitars and that stuff.” She chewed on the tip of her hoof. A light bulb went off in her head. “Oh! I think some of the first heavy metal bands had metals in their names, like lead and iron.”

Laughing, Nocturne replied, “That would make sense. Sometimes, things are simpler than they appear. The answer lies right in front of your face, yet you overthink the problem.”

Amber chuckled as well. “Yeah, that’s pretty true.”

The conversation died off almost as quickly as it had started, and the two sat in silence once more. Amber cleared her throat. “Soooo… uh, Duchess, I-”

The duchess cut her off with a raised hoof. “Forgive me for interrupting, Amber, but ‘Nocturne’ is quite alright. I would like very much for us to become friends, and that will never happen if you address me as your superior.” She paused to take a sip from her tea. A grimace soon appeared. “Alas, it seems my drink has grown cold.” She placed the cup to the side. “Now, this may sound off-topic, but I was hoping you could help me to talk like common ponies. I believe slang such as ‘far out,’ ‘bogus,’ and ‘shindig’ are still popular, right?”

Amber let out an explosive bark of laughter before slapping a hoof to her mouth. Face flushed, she cleared her throat once more. “Oh, Nocturne, you have _so_ much to learn.”


End file.
